How to Use COVID-19 + Influenza A/B + RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus) Combo Rapid Test Kit?
It is becoming increasingly important to differentiate between common respiratory illnesses such as COVID-19, influenza, and RSV to determine the best course of treatment for patients and help prevent the spread of infection in the post-pandemic world. Since COVID-19 has symptoms that largely overlap with other common respiratory infections, such as influenza A/B and RSV, it is essential to have a diagnostic tool that enables the rapid, accurate, and simultaneous detection of all three viruses. Although the exact timing of COVID-19, influenza A/B, and RSV outbreaks may vary from year to year, the circulation of each of these viruses tends to peak during the fall, winter, and early spring months in the temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. Therefore, especially throughout this period, the rapid differential diagnosis of COVID-19, influenza A/B, and RSV infections is even more important for infection prevention and management. Under these circumstances, the COVID-19 + Influenza A/B + RSV Combo Rapid Test Kit is an invaluable tool to assist in the differential detection of infections with SARS-CoV-2, influenza A/B, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Read along to learn more about COVID-19 + Influenza A/B + RSV Combo Rapid Test Kit and how to use it for the rapid simultaneous detection of SARS-CoV-2, influenza A/B, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).
What is the COVID-19 + Influenza A/B + RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus) Combo Rapid Test Kit?
The COVID-19 + Influenza A/B + RSV Combo Rapid Test Kit is a diagnostic tool designed to detect the presence of COVID-19, influenza A/B, and RSV in a single nasopharyngeal or nasal swab sample. The kit is based on lateral flow chromatographic immunoassay technology and identifies the viral antigens specific to each virus. The test cassette has separate sections for the detection of COVID-19, influenza A/B, and RSV, which allows for simultaneous detection. In addition, the kit delivers easy-to-read qualitative results in typically 15 to 20 minutes. As such, the kit ensures high levels of overall accuracy, reduces the need for multiple diagnostic tests, allows for quick diagnosis or treatment, and minimizes the cost of testing.
How Does the COVID-19 + Influenza A/B + RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus) Combo Rapid Test Kit Work?
The COVID-19 + Influenza A/B + RSV Combo Rapid Test Kit utilizes multiple lines of monoclonal antibodies specific to each virus to bind and capture the viral antigens that may be present in the tested sample. The kit targets highly specific and abundantly produced proteins such as the spike protein of COVID-19, the hemagglutinin protein of influenza A/B, and the fusion protein of RSV. As the processed sample migrates along the surface of the test cassette via capillary flow, monoclonal antibodies bind to the present viral antigens and capture them within assigned areas on the test cassette, which produces colored lines in the test (T) and control region (C) within in the section specified for one of the tested pathogens. The presence of the test line (T) indicates the presence of a particular pathogen in the tested sample, while the presence of the control line (C) functions as procedural control.
When should you use the COVID-19 + Influenza A/B + RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus) Combo Rapid Test Kit?
The test kit is recommended for use in patients with clinical or epidemiological risk factors associated with COVID-19, influenza A/B, and RSV. Symptoms of COVID-19 may develop 2 to 14 days following exposure to SARS-CoV-2 and include fever, chills, cough, sore throat, runny/congested nose, loss of taste and smell, tiredness, headaches, and myalgia. Symptoms of flu also commonly include fever, chills, cough, sore throat, runny nose, muscle pains, fatigue, and headache, but it presents with a much more rapid onset of 1-2 days. While gastrointestinal symptoms are relatively uncommon for both COVID-19 and influenza, children infected with influenza viruses often also experience nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting. Among these infections, RSV typically causes the mildest disease with symptoms such as sneezing, runny nose, cough, fever, wheezing, and loss of appetite. If you experience these symptoms, it may be a good idea to take a test. In addition, the COVID-19 + Influenza A/B + RSV Combo Rapid Test Kit may be useful in outbreak settings or during periods where COVID-19, flu, and RSV are increasingly circulating together to increase access to testing, reduce turnover time, and facilitate mass testing.
How to Perform the COVID-19 + Influenza A/B + RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus) Combo Rapid Test Kit?
The COVID-19 + Influenza A/B + RSV Combo Rapid Test Kit requires the collection of a nasopharyngeal or nasal swab sample from the patient. The patients are asked to tilt their head back, and the provided sterile swab is inserted into one nostril until it reaches the back of the throat. The swab is then rotated several times along the inner wall of the nasal passage and removed. After the collection of the required sample, the used swab is inserted into the buffer tube containing the buffer solution to ensure the release of the viral antigens into the solution. After it is rotated a few times within the buffer solution, the swab is squeezed along the inner wall of the buffer tube. Then, the swab is broken from the breaking point, and the tube is closed with the swab head inside. The test cassette is removed from its sealed pouch and placed on a flat surface. A few drops of the processed sample are added to the assigned wells (S) for COVID-19, influenza A/B, and RSV. A timer is started, and the results are read after the reaction time specified in the manual.
